


Depth

by Cat5713



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Post Season 1, Rated T for Safety, There's a little blood, cuz Callum isn't useless, cuz rayla hates water, falling scare, yes i know season 3 has been out forever, yes this fic is late
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22835791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat5713/pseuds/Cat5713
Summary: It had really only been a few days since they had entered into Xadian through the moonstone path and passed by Sol Regem. Now the ravine waits.
Relationships: Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Kudos: 32





	Depth

It had really only been a few days since they had entered into Xadian through the moonstone path and passed by Sol Regem. 

The passing by of the Arch Sun dragon was a challenge, he had tried to kill Callum with his fire, and almost did with no regard for Rayla or Zym. All three of them could have been easily killed if it wasn't for Rayla's quick thinking. She had been able to launch both herself and Callum over a rock formation to avoid the fiery breath of the dragon. Azymondias, being the son of the king, convinced Sol Regem to let them safely pass the rocky desert plains. 

But, that was now in the recent past, and the party of three were now passing through the Xadian mountains.

The pass they had to cross was a small rock ledge sticking out from the mountainous range. But of course, below and behold, below them ran a swiftly flowing river at the bottom of a jagged gorge. On the other side of the ravine lay a sandy beach leading into a dense forest which concealed an elven village. That was the side they were trying to cross to.

The water of the river was a sparkling crystal blue, and it would have been beautiful if it wasn't for the imminent danger the revien presented.

And naturally, it was  _ water _ .

"I'm really thinking this was a bad idea!" Rayla proclaimed to the boy next to her. The pair were edging themselves along the slim rock ledge, backs pressed up against the cold stone wall behind them, feet shuffling along ever so carefully. They only had to reach the bridge that crossed the ravine, but the stressed trek was terrifying for the elf.

"The bridge is just ahead, it's too late to go back." Callum shrugged. "You're doing just fine."

She shivered. The mountain air was awfully cool with the water below.

The only one enjoying the chill air was Zym. He soared above them on the rolling air currents. He had grown quite quickly, as to see he was only a bit smaller than Callum himself. 

The dragonling yapped with delight.

"Look! I can see the bridge! It's right up there, we've almost made it." Callum nudged his shoulder against hers in a teasing matter, that goofy grin across his face. Sure enough, the old wooden bridge could be seen through the slight mist.

"Yeah, yeah whatever." She said, body still stiff and rigid against the rock behind them. 

Then she stopped, twitching her ears and her eyes grew wide. A cracking sound could be heard from beneath their feet.

"C-callum." Rayla stammered as cracks appeared underneath her toes. She shifted her feet uneasily as her eyes emitted an emotion of pure panic.

_ Oh no. _

"RUN!" Callum shouted as the cracks became wider and he realized what was happening.

Zym screeched as he saw them run.

They both took off as fast as they dared down the narrow pass. The cracks seemed to follow their tracks as the stone behind them fell away. Then, Rayla stopped abruptly and Callum almost ran into the back of her.

"Why did you…oh." He breathed, voice laced with panic.

The path in front of them had broken away too, leaving them stranded on a tiny piece of stone ledge.

There was still the rest of the path on the other side of the sizable gap.

"We have to jump to the other side!" Rayla proclaimed. "Follow me."

"Hold on." Callum caught her arm. She looked back with a panicky kind of surprise. "Give me your pack. Then you'll be lighter." 

He let her go.

She nodded and slipped the shoulder pack from her back and handed it to him.

He nodded.

Taking his reassurance Rayla took a tiny step backward, careful not to push Callum, and leaped across the gap.

Even though she landed lightly on her feet, like any trained assassin would, the stone beneath her feet broke away, sending her to the raging water below.

It was all one horrifying blurr.

One moment Rayla was there, the next she simply wasn't.

The ledge gave way with a sickening  _ *crack* _ as it crumbled to shambles. Not only was there the crack, but the horrible sound of skin against stone and a shriek of horror followed.

"RAYLA!" Callum's stunned, horrified scream echoed off the ravine walls.

Callum heaved both their packs and his sketchbook in the air, trusting that Zym would catch them, and unhesitatingly flung himself off the ledge after her.

The cold, misty air whizzed past his ears like a deafening winter wind.

As gravity took hold, Rayla hit and the river on her back, creating a horrific * _ smack* _ .

_ Oh no. _

***

The water was brownish-blue, nothing like the crystal color she had seen from above.

The current was strong under the surface, tossing Rayla about like a child's toy. After not being in deep water for a very long time, the elf could not find her footing. The water made her vision blurry and her hearing clogged.

Her body ached all over from hitting the water on her back.

She tilted her head, the glistening surface looked so far away. But, she tumbled, losing sight of the distant sun and her sense of direction entirely.

As the current swept her even farther under, Rayla could feel the pressure of the liquid pressing down all over her body. It was like being pressed between two plates of a vice. Her skull felt like it would cave in, but the pressure was made worse as it felt like her brain was resisting the force. Her ears popped and started to ring.

Her lungs burned with the need for fresh air. Rayla started to pump her legs to steady herself. But it didn't work. 

It didn't _ work. _

She continued to aimlessly drift in the depths of the murky abyss.

Her skin began to tingle with both cold and dread.

Colors started to float into Rayla's vision, dancing in swirls and patterns. It was beautiful really, the feeling of cold covering her body. The sensation of calm slowly replacing the emotions of fear. 

Rayla's nerves began to still. She could no longer feel the coldness of the water around her or the pain from the fall.

She could feel air starting to slip from her throat, but that was all fine. Everything was fine. Everything was  _ perfect… _

***

_ Where is she? _

_ Where  _ could _ she be? _

_ Oh I hope I'm not too late! _

_ I can't… _

_ Where is she?! _

Callum had entered the water only a few seconds after Rayla, but she was nowhere to be found. The water was too deep and too cloudy to keep steady, but he was a strong swimmer. 

But, he was quickly running out of both air and time.

_ Gotta resurface. _

He broke the surface of the fast moving river with a sizable * _ splash* _ and he gasped for air. He took in oxygen in huge gulps, filling his lungs with as much as he could muster.

"RAYLA!" Callum screamed her name disparity across the river, hoping she had already surfaced.

There was no answer.

"RAYLA!!!" His voice cracked with emotion as he screamed again, hoping, desperately hoping…

Who was he kidding? Rayla can't swim. Why would she have surfaced?

He sucked in a huge breath of fresh air, and dove back under the water.

This time, he dove deeper, just knowing that she'd been swept all the way under.

Callum dove and swam deeper and deeper, a sob welling up in his throat. He willed it down though, he couldn't lose his breath.

_ Wait… _

There she was, body limply floating along in the river's current.

He swam to her as fast as possible, using the current to his advantage.

After what seemed like an eternity, Callum finally reached her and set her body upright. He looped his arm underneath her shoulder and started kicking and paddling to the surface.

She was deathly limp in his arms.

He broke the surface with a large * _ splash*  _ and an even larger gasp of air as he filled his burning lungs.

As swiftly as he could, Callum paddled to the sandy shore of the opposite side of the river, where they had needed to be in the first place. With Rayla wrapped in his arms it was slow going, but he eventually drew near to the bank.

"Hold on, we're almost there." Callum said to her, attempting some sort of reassurance.

Towards the shore the water began to slow and become more shallow, and soon, he was wading through the water with Rayla cradled in his arms bridal style, her head resting up against his neck. When he was far enough up the bank, in soft grass, he laid her down.

Rayla wasn't breathing.

The entire time, through the panic, he hadn't realized that she _ wasn't breathing. _

Callum fell to his knees beside her.

What seemed like in the far distance, Zym landed next to them and set down their bags. He nudged Rayla's shoulder with his snout and lied down next to her, whimpering.

Callum's body was shaking. Absolute fear and grief gripped his body as he brought his hand to her neck. He could feel the slightest beat fighting to be heard, but her skin was so pale and cold.

"You have to stay with me Ray." Callum caressed her cheek in his palm before moving his hands to her chest. He was no medic, but he was going to try.

For Rayla's sake, he was going to _ try. _

He pumped her chest, anything to get her breathing again.

"Come on Rayla! I need you to breathe! Please!" Callum hollered his cries of sorrowful frustration desperately to the air as he pumped.

Tears were starting to cloud his eyes and he wiped them away with his already wet sleeve.

Finding a new idea, he opened her mouth, plugged her nose, and pressed his mouth against hers in an attempt to breathe for her.

As he forced his own air into Rayla's lungs, he could see her chest faintly rise, and then fall again as the breath was let out her nose.

A slight glimmer of hope fluttered between Callum's ribs like a hesitant butterfly, but no further reaction was shown from his companion.

His face fell into an even more horrified expression. _ It wasn't working. _

Callum tried again.

Taking a deep breath he blew the air into her, but this time, he heard the defined sound of gurgling liquid as her lungs filled.

_ Rayla's lungs were full of water. _

He pumped her chest again, salty tears stung the corners of his eyes.

Callum breathed into her again, absolutely desperate for something,  _ anything _ to work.

As he lifted his lips from hers, he choked on a sob. Tears dribbled from his cheeks and onto Rayla's, grimly sparkling in the afternoon sun.

Callum squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the rest of the salty liquid out, and opened them again.

_ Pull yourself together! Rayla needs you. _

He leaned down, his mouth against hers, and forced a deep breath into her. Water gurgled again, and he almost gave into another sob of grief.

Callum watched Rayla's chest rise from his position against her.  _ Up...and down. _

He latched off her to take a breath, and bent down again to breathe for her.

Once again, tears leaked from his eyes, but his sorrow was interrupted as Rayla spasmed underneath him.

Callum shot up in surprise, still on his knees, as he saw Rayla's eyes fly open, and she rolled onto her side as she started to cough.

Rayla's coughs were wet and her breaths gurgled as she vomited the water from her lungs, but she inhaled over and over in huge rasps.

Still stunned with shock, Callum helped her sit up as she still expelled water from her lungs, and he leaned her up on his shoulder, letting her convulse against him. Rayla held herself tight around his neck, gripping onto him desperately and burying herself into his soaked, but still cozy, scarf.

As Rayla's coughing fit finally subsided, she settled for taking huge painful, burning gasps of air as Callum held her upright in his arms. He rubbed calming circles on her back as she shivered, letting her head rest on the crook of his neck under his cheek.

_ Rayla's okay. She's okay. _

Callum closed his eyes, tears welling up again as he felt Rayla's body tremble against his. He'd almost lost her.  _ Rayla almost died. _ It was all too much to take in at once.  _ But she was okay now. _

Zym came up to them, nudging their legs with a huge dragony grin and his tongue lolling out, but neither paid any attention.

He could feel her start to shake.

And whimper.

"Are you...crying?" Callum asked, pulling her away from him by her shoulders. Her face was downcast, hidden by line of sight.

"Maybe..." Rayla whimpered, tears rolling off her cheeks and dripping down to the ground.

Callum's face softened, and he brought his hands to her face, passionately tilting her face upwards and into view. Rayla melted into his touch, closing her eyes, making the tears stream faster, and placed her own hand on his. With his thumb, Callum tenderly wiped the tears away, as she opened her eyes again, and he let a few of his own tears run down his face as well.

Rayla sniffled, closing her eyes.

Callum pulled her in close again, placing a hand behind her head and another between her shoulders while, again, rubbing circles into her back.

The couple cried together, each wracked by the experience. But they stayed close up against each other, relishing in the time they had almost lost.

When eventually they both calmed and Rayla's breathing became less laboured, Callum decided to speak.

"Are you alright?" Callum almost whispered. They were still pressed together, so no need to talk much louder in such a tender moment.

Rayla nodded against his neck.

They stayed embraced for a long time before saying anything else, just enjoying each other's warmth. Zym gave up with his nudging and contently sat down beside them.

"Thank you."

_ Thank you? _

Rayla sat up on her knees, breaking the embrace. "Thank you for savin' me." She said shyly, face still downcast, eyes now dry. Her voice was raspy and sounded burnt, like her throat was raw and was painful to pass air by.

"Of course I'd save you." Callum said, taken aback by her thanks. "You would have drowned. I couldn't just let you drown... I'd lose you." His body still shook, from cold or nerves, he didn't know.

Rayla looked up at him now, "it's just...I was so stupid. I wouldn't have fallen if I'd just been more wary of the rocks."

"It's not your fault the rocks crumbled, I should've caught you when I saw you start to fall."

"You couldn't have caught me tho'. I was on the other side of the gap."

"... Still."

They stayed there for a moment, reflecting on the recent, but horrific events.

"Thank you." She said again, face downcast once more.

"I… couldn't let you fall." Callum said as he stumbled on his words, he was never good at saying hard things. "I couldn't...I couldn't lose you. We have to deliver Zym together ya know " Callum shot her one of his toying grins to try and brighten her up a bit and to settle his soaring nerves.

They embraced again, "I...I love you Callum." Rayla whispered to him.

Callum wasn't shocked, he'd had enough shock for one day already. It had always been evident, that he loved her and she loved him, but it was different to simply know it, than to hear it confessed. They'd been too passionate and touchy to be 'just friends' anyway. But, her confession took him aback despite it all.

"I love you too, Ray." Callum breathfully whispered, squeezing his eyes shut again.

At this chosen moment, Zym decided it would be best if he nestled himself in-between the two, yapping with joy.

The two laugh at the dragonling's intrusion as he lapps Rayla's face with his 'zappy kisses', and Rayla rustles the dragon's furry mane, making them all smile.

With Zym's outburst, Callum noticed the gash running down the side of Rayla's left forearm above her elbow. It wasn't deep and was hardly bleeding, but it was long and still needed to be dressed.

He took her arm in his hands, surprising her a bit. He reached inside of one of their bags, searching for something cloth. He settled for the cloth he had been planning to use for his sketching, it was long and slender and yet unused, perfect for the job.

Callum began to wrap up Rayla's arm when she spoke again in mild humor. "Well, at least we're on the right side o' the river now."

Callum grinned while continuing his work, only stopping a minute to share his grin with Rayla. "Yeah. I guess we are." 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry. I had to do it. I had to have Callum save his girl from the water somehow.
> 
> Also, it's been a while and I've had this piece on a series I wasn't going to finish soooooo I still needed this out here.


End file.
